


Being of the Trees

by anamnesisapproaches



Category: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Genre: AU, Amnesia, Angst, Bleeding, Eventual Romance, F/M, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Inaccurate hospitals, M/M, Mostly hurt, Post-Canon, Wilderness, adding tags as we go, tranquilizer
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-15 09:46:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16930956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anamnesisapproaches/pseuds/anamnesisapproaches
Summary: It has been a Decade since the reconstruction of Star Road. And it has been a decade since the child Gaz has seen his favorite doll. The Enigma of its disappearance is shrouded in fog, and hidden underneath the leaves which fall upon the forest...(Sidenote: Eventual Genario, bear with me here...)





	1. Never Found His Way Back Home

**Author's Note:**

> //Just a quick note; this is an ongoing fic. I’ll just keep adding chapters whenever I can manage to write them! I take suggestions and I appreciate support! Thanks you guys!!

It had been a long decade since the Star Road had been restored. Mario and Mallow, along with Bowser and Peach had joined together in beating the evil Smithy and help grant wishes to all those in need. Many mysteries had been solved, and many problems fixed. However, one contained an enigma that not even those who went on the quest could understand.  
Gaz, the small child they met along their path, had told their mother about their wooden doll getting up, and stumbling clumsily into the depths of the forest maze. Mario, being kindly and caring, had gone on a search for the doll, and a source to the arrows which were petrifying the villagers. Yet to no avail, did he find the doll.

A green-hued Luma had come down from the heavens, speaking of the Road, and why it was so terribly important to the happiness of others. They spoke vaguely of a great Star Warrior of theirs which had already come down to help, yet never having shown their face. The lost warrior hadn’t returned, even after these ten years, as there were signs, telling of a lost star, still being hung around the kingdom.

  
So here Mario was. So long had he never seen this land, and so long had he missed it. The child had grown up to become a very skilled artist, taking commissions from others, yet still seemed fond of his lost toy.

  
Mario was hung up on this. He was ready, making his way towards the forest’s gaping mouth. The vines hung from each tree, ferns littering the ground with tiny mushrooms, either friend or foe, no one would know, until you trod upon its ground.

  
“You shouldn’t go in there Plumber.” Warned a local. Mario jumped at the snarky comment, having stopped in his tracks to hear their cry.

  
“Why?” The man in red asked, easing his startled nature.

  
“...Why?” They chortled back.  “There be monsters in the forest. It may be ten years after the arrows ceased fire from within... but soon after the arrows stopped, and you left... gunshots rung in the air at night. We do not know what is in there, but those who have come out alive were horrified. They said the woods itself had attacked them. A being of the trees.” Their voice was dark, the rumble making each word drip with dread. Mario felt sweat run down his forehead.

  
What could possibly be in there? What could truly terrify a village so badly, that they wouldn’t enter the forest which held the heart of their economy?

  
There was only one way to find out.

  
Mario nodded, thanking the local for such information. They let out a bellow of laughter as Mario walked warily into the forest, the shroud of darkness cloaking his soul with a feeling of deep regret. The sounds of Rose Town quickly faded, leaving him in the silent forest maze, each road leading him to a whole new set of crossroads, which then turned his around, toward his goal, or into a dead end. Tree trunks were hollowed out, and led to a slide, bringing its rider to an onslaught of rats and wasps to fend off. The mushrooms were like a game of Russian roulette, they would attack, poison, or defeat you… However they also had the possibility of being a friendly item which could restore health and heal wounds.

  
Mario traversed through wave after wave of encounters, feeling as if he should be getting closer to something, anything. After all, if there was a monster in the woods, wouldn’t it have attacked him by now?

  
Only then, did he notice...

  
There was something behind him, a flash of dull blue, which whisked by like a bolt of lightning to a cloud, or a shooting star to the skies. Mario turned on his heels, whirling around aimlessly to catch a glimpse of the creature which inhabited this domain, yet to no avail, the creature moving at a viciously fast pace, like a blur. A deep, warm feeling began to form within his palms, each finger tingling with the feeling of magic. Preparing a fireball, Mario stood his ground, braced for an attack at any moment. The sound of shuffling came from behind, the plumber turning, and just barely missing the blue, which clawed it’s way up the tree, as if it had been forced to climb for its life many times over.

  
“Who are you?” Mario called to the blue figure which hid skillfully within the forest canopy, blending in almost perfectly. The silhouette took no move, and spoke no language, keeping silent. It truly did look like it had come from the trees itself. The being had an appearance of a woodlike texture upon its skin, and the movement was somewhat limited… Quite close to how a wooden doll would move. Mario lowered his hands, showing he was either surrendering, or meant no harm. Staring at the monster, the monster stared back, crimson red eyes glinting like a blood red moon upon a dark fall night. It ran away, blending into the surroundings with expert level camouflage.

  
“Oh thank Grambi…” Mario breathed out, relief sweeping over his soul. The man in red sauntered cautiously into the nearest clearing, plopping down before plucking up a mushroom off the ground, beginning the process of eating. He kept in place, static as he was left healing in the filtered sunlight which came down from the sky into the understory.  
Until an attack came out of the skies. A few bullets made of stone smacked him, albeit weakly, in the chest. They left a slight bruise, and an ache of shock.  
Monster or not, whatever the being of the trees was, it had attacked him, and startled him. Releasing a burst of magic, Mario raised both hands, calling upon the cosmos itself to aid with the majestic spell of fire he cast, casing a massive stream of pure destruction to wreak havoc upon the being of the woods.  
A panicked cry rung in the area, bees and mushrooms alike running at its sound. Mario’s attack had let out a burst of energy, slamming the monster into a nearby oak tree, the being hitting its head, then falling limp to the mossy forest floor, where not even a beetle dared to lurk in the aftermath of such an ordeal.

  
When the dust settled, Mario was left with the monster breathing heavily on the ground, their lungs sounding weak, pained from both inhaling the ashes from the fire, and of the wind getting forced out of their body due to the impact. While still wary that it could be faking such pain, as it was obvious the being of the trees was quick on both its feet and it’s mind, he approached the being, hand outstretched to defend himself, and the other ready to attack. Yet nothing came from it, even as he rested a hand upon its shoulder.

  
“Hello…?” Mario spoke with caution, not desiring to aggravate it. Yet nothing came, once again. Feeling a sheer wave of guilt, Mario rolled whoever this was onto their back. They looked familiar, yet not. He felt as if he should know this person dearly.

  
“Oh, Jaydes forbid… I can’t believe it…” Mario had noticed a decently large wound which lay upon their chest and stomach, yet did not bleed blood. It bled something else. It was thin, and translucent. It glowed, as if it was liquid magic.

  
Whatever it was, losing bodily fluids at a rapid rate was not something one could wait for it to fix itself. Hurrying, Mario picked up the blue-clad being of the trees, and ran off to find the exit, and a hospital.

  
“Hang in there, little guy…”


	2. Angel’s Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a bad burn, and head Injury, the Being of the Trees is in trouble.

Gasping for breath, Mario left a trail of deep red liquid behind him. The being was weak, getting weaker with each moment. Their breathing was growing more shallow with each passing moment, either meaning they were calming down, or the worse option. Spectators on the side watched in mild horror, gaping at the unknown woodland inhabitant which had been comfortably cradled in Mario’s arms as he sprinted to the nearest Hospital.

He burst in recklessly, hollering for help. Doctors and Nurses alike swiveled around each other, as if performing a type of chaotic dance. They got the being a room, Mario having caringly placed them down upon the bed, then moving away for the others to move in. Some of them held the being down, while others began to clean up the wound, attempting to cease it’s bleeding.

  
On the sidelines, Mario’s heart ached to hear the weak wordless pleas of help emitting from their woozy voice. The Toads began to prepare for an IV, sanitizing the being’s arm. They held very little resistance until they felt the needle prick their skin, causing a sudden burst of panic. The being had no sense of mercy and had no intention of being gentle, kicking the doctor who had the IV away, and tearing their limbs away from the Nurses, the sight almost absurd to view.

  
With great haste, Mario got up, gently prodding everyone out of his way. Making certain to not show signs of threat, the man in red took a deep breath, placing his hand upon theirs. It felt cold. Ice cold. The being turned to stare into Mario’s eyes, their pupils unusually large, especially considering the amount of light in the room.

  
“Hello…” Mario almost sung, voice as soft as an angel’s, showing no intention of malice. The being stayed skeptical.

  
“My name is Mario. I am here to help you.” When the being did not seem to respond, instead giving a bitter snort, the plumber’s heart lurched. He hoped to the Star Road itself that whoever this was could speak his tongue.

  
“I am sorry for what happened back there. Now, I will not harm you. Nor will these people.” Mario gave a gesture for the Doctor to come back over.

  
“You are bleeding, and loosing time. To keep you alive, we need you to relax, and get you fixed up. However, this will imply that you’ll have to follow along with their procedures.” Mario paused to let his words sink in.

  
“Is that okay?” He hoped, and prayed for the being to respond. Nothing came for a long while, he, and the rest, simply standing there. Not a single soul in the room dare to move until they responded. After a freakishly long stretch of time, the being nodded, movements as weak as a newborn bird’s. Mario breathed a sigh of relief.

  
“Good… I’ll watch over them, to make sure nothing bad actually happens. Alright?” He got another nod. The Doctor then moved in, continuing his process of injecting the needle. Mario stayed by their side, holding their hand throughout the procedure. The being hissed a few times whenever they did something they found uncomfortable, but Mario reassured them, explaining what they were doing. No, he didn’t know exactly how everything worked. He simply guessed, to keep the being calmed. And it worked.

  
“There we go, all fixed up!” Mario declared, once the last nurse scampered from the room. The being sunk into the blankets, trying to take cover from the light. Jumping up, Mario turned off the lamps, and overhead lights, watching as the creature relaxed upon the darkness.  
“Do you want me to turn on the TV?” He asked the being, whom of which gave him a thoroughly puzzled, yet defensive look.

  
“Oh, don’t worry! It isn’t anything bad. Here, watch this…” Mario grasped the remote, which lay upon the small table beside the bed. It was night, so the channel which was playing gave a view of a whole galaxy, beautiful nebulas and solar systems swirling around each other in varying hues of purples and blues. The being’s eyes widened, tears welling up in the corners of their eyes while watching the television. The man in red frowned, worrying if he did something wrong, yet spoke no words, observing to familial look they gave to the stars, eyes closing over time, before they fell asleep.  
In the Morning, Mario called Peach. The being of the trees was still fast asleep, their name an enigma.

  
“Yes, I know… But they look so weak! I can’t just leave them…” Mario hunched over, his voice wavering.

  
“Oh, Mario, you’re so sweet… You care so much about a person you don’t even know…” Peach spoke lightheartedly, her voice like a Butterfly in the wind. Mario smiled at her warm remark, before looking back at the being.

  
“I don’t even know their name. Nobody seems to know.” Mario finally admitted. Peach gave a hum of confusion. A feeling of dread came over him.

  
“They… Don’t respond to anything with words. Only grunts or nods. Yes or No questions are agonizingly slow, which makes me wonder…

  
Maybe they got a head injury?” Mario suggested. Peach stayed silent on the other end of the call, wanting him to continue.

  
“Or maybe they had gone a bit nuts… We don’t know how long they have been in there. It could have been forever…” Mario murmured. Peach waited to see if Mario would continue even further, but once he had gone truly silent, she spoke with a great sense of sympathy.

  
“Maybe ask around the village…? Rose Town, I mean. I can request a database of civilians from my people, which should help figure out who they are. For now, just take a picture of them, and ask around who they are. It should answer at least part of the big picture.” Peach directed, as she audibly wrote down notes in her journal for later use. The Princess always loved helping out Mario with his investigative missions. They had been solving problems together since they were little, and continued to do so into this present day.

  
“But… What if…” Mario did not need to speak his question, as Peach sighed with a knowing tone in her voice.

  
“Don’t worry about leaving them. They’re obviously too weak to run off again, and I’m sure all they’ll do is sit there silently, maybe growl if a nurse comes too close.” The Princess flipped through her notes, double checking each one. Mario groaned.

  
“Alright, fine, I’ll go ask around… Thank you, Amore, I needed this…” Mario ran a hand down over his face with slight dread, the idea of running around like a maniac asking for the identity of a random person terrifying him. However, in order to further aid this newcomer on their road to recovery, he must figure it out. Mario took out his phone, taking a picture of the being’s face. The flash blinked on, the being hissing stressfully. They smacked away the phone like a cat would to an approaching foe, revealing that they were, in fact, awake this entire time. Mario jumped back in surprise, mouth wide open, confused. The being sat up in awe, staring around the room with childlike curiosity. He turned, and stared directly at Mario.

  
“My name?” The being murmured in fear.

“You want to know my name?” They continued, not blinking. A slightly crazy twitch in their eye showed itself to be prominent, even as tears welled up in the corners of each one.

  
“...Yes, knowing your name would be nice…” Mario nodded, getting up at an agonizingly slow pace. They continued to stare each other down, chests heaving from shock, or fear. The being looked like a terrified animal, gaze holding that of fear, as if he was caught in the headlights of society.

  
“I do not remember my name…” They Cooed, crestfallen like a crippled eagle. The sight hurt to watch, as this person was obviously strong. They showed signs of mental fog, something which alarmed Mario of possible complications.

  
“...You have amnesia…?” Mario questioned, surprised he was able to speak to them without any hisses, or growls.

  
“No. Only surrounding the time when you attacked me… And very recently, my memory has been spotty… But I have forgotten my name myself. I have no recollection of it…” They tried to sink into their hospital gown, which lay upon their body in place of the ratty cape, which was getting washed by some people at the hospital. Their face had been somewhat cleaned up while they were asleep, yet dirt and grime was practically soaked into their body. It would take a while until they were fully clean.

  
“...How… Long have you been in that forest?” He kept a soft voice, making sure to stay calm. The being laughed pathetically.

  
“I have survived through ten cycles of seasons, and many, many moons..” They sounded slightly impressed, yet a laugh of mental horror emitted from them.

  
“Ten years… Oh, Grambi, I can’t believe it…” Mario swore to himself, leaning on the wall, as the person in the bed began to cry.

  
“It is pathetic. A person is nothing to others without a name. I do not feel welcome…” The being mourned their lost title. The plumber, heart aching to view such a depressing ordeal, scraped his mind. He had seen this person before. But… where.

  
No. It couldn’t be.

  
They looked exactly like the toy which walking into the forest ten years ago.

  
“Oh my stars.” Mario gasped in sudden realization, and went over to them.

  
“I know your name!” He declared grandly, a smile bright upon his face. The being sunk further back into the bed. “Your name is Geno! You went into the forest right before I had! You were that person!” Mario had finally solved the puzzle which had troubled him for so many years.

  
“...Geno?” He spoke in response, tilting his own head, staring intently at the man in red.

  
“Yes. And I must say, it is a wonderful name indeed. It’s like an Angel’s name.”

  
“...Angel’s Name…”


	3. Not Their Puppet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stardoll seems to have woken up...

Geno.  
A newfound name he thought he never had.   
The doll sat in place, occasionally picking at the IV in his arm. It was itchy, body showing itself to be revolted to the ointment they used around it, which the nurses had placed down to heal the wounds which ran along his body. Countless cuts and scrapes, which created deep white lines, marking signs of battle and strife. Mario gazed upon the scars, in awe of what this person before him had been through.   
“So… Where did you sleep? Did you make a house?” Mario asked, having completely forgotten about Peach’s efforts to find Geno’s information, which was now not necessary, and most likely not even present in the database.   
“Oh, I barely slept. I always stared at the stars when it was clear out. I lived ‘neath a fallen tree, as I had dug out a hole under its frame. It got flooded in there from time to time…” Geno sighed hopelessly.   
“And whatever this ‘house’ you speak of is, I highly doubt it to be a ditch within the ground. You must speak of something rather grand…” The doll’s voice drawled, each syllable etched in pain. Mario almost winced at Geno, frowning softly upon the unfortunate soul.   
“What about food?” Mario had dared to ask. Geno huffed, as if offended, his bandaged chest puffing out to look somewhat scary.   
“Food, you say? Oh, you know exactly what my food source was!” He sounded attacked, a taut tone ringing from his gaping mouth. Glinting fangs bore themselves, the doll’s sharp gaze turning predatory in a matter of seconds, shooting metaphorical daggers at the plumber.   
“...It was the mushrooms, wasn’t it…” Mario’s Head hung shamefully, eyes sliding closed, simply to avoid eye contact with the vicious red eyes of Geno.  
“Exactly.” He spat in anger, settling back down into the bed.   
“You took away my food. That was my only food source! That is, except for raw fish and—“  
“You ate raw fish?!” Mario hollered in utter disbelief, the being of the trees gasped in fear, and dove for cover underneath the paper thin sheets. The man in red held his head in one hand, making incoherent noises of shock, while his free hand gestured to nothing in particular.   
“Wh-What?! You can get deathly ill from doing that! You could die!” He let out another shriek of horror. Geno peeked out from the bedding, not daring to fully emerge.   
“I… I needed to eat… It was my only choice…” The wildling choked out in a brittle manner, his heart thumping loudly within his chest, fearfully aware that this could be his end. But Mario was a kind person, and nobody with sense would just randomly attack Geno. However, the doll was simply afraid of other people, and was convinced harm would come from being amidst them.   
“Well, you at least had made a net or fishing pole…. Right?”  
“...Actually…”  
Mario immediately threw his hands in the air with outrage. He looked as if he was being told some absurdly ridiculous information, of which he dares not to believe. Geno once again jumped at the sudden movement, of which Mario softly apologized in response, petting the woodland creature’s cheek to calm him, as well as to rub off a smudge of dirt crossing underneath his eyes.   
“Ahh… I’m so sorry for spooking you so much today.” Mario began, a blush rising on his cheeks from slight embarrassment.   
“However I must say… The life you lived in that forest was horrible. I can barely believe that you were able to survive off of no clean water, no shelter, and raw food… For ten whole years.” Mario sat on the bed before placing a hand on top of Geno’s, which was shrouded by a light sheet.   
“You must be so scared of this strange outside world… I’m not sure how far your knowledge of society is, as you have… Very little sense of how to react to others…” Mario tried not to sound offensive, falling flat on his face at the attempt. Geno looked depressed, as he was.   
“I want to help you adjust to life with other people. A social life, were the townspeople help each other. You will become one with other people, and not treated as if you are some sort of vicious monster.” Mario’s offer made the air turn thick as batter, breathing becoming a struggle.   
“And what if… These people who have tried to kill me in the past… Continue to hate me?” Geno’s eyes turned dark. Mario did not know how to respond at first, worry thick within his gaze. Geno caught on, turning to stare at the white floor, the tiles shiny and smooth. The doll went to lay back down.  
“I understand. People despise me for what I am, then, rather, what I could be. I might as well be kept in a cage, tethered to a leash or chain if I am kept within the limits of what the people around me desire me to do. I am not just their puppet. I am my own being. But if they insist upon hating me, and desire me to play the vicious Woodland Monster… I’ll do it.”  
Mario sat there upon the bed, both people becoming silent. He contemplated upon what the being of the trees had spoke of. The words rung within his head, as if trying to solve a puzzle of sorts. Geno spoke in semi-riddles, his words seeming to hold some other meaning behind them. Yet, he could not solve it. It seemed rather obvious, as he just wanted to have free will, yet there was something odd about that statement. He sounded lonely. So very lonely. Eventually, he heard the doll’s gasps of air even out somewhat. It was still uneven, yet showed the deepness of sleep. Mario called in a nurse to point out Geno was breathing oddly. They had run off to get someone else. They would help him. For now, however, Mario had to leave, and go over to Peach. He didn’t wish to explain over the phone again, deciding to actually spend time with her for the first time in over a week. His life had been very busy, with his brother needing help with errands and work, personal heroic duties, and now Geno on top of it all, things had gone slightly crazy. The man in red truly felt guilty for not spending enough time with his girlfriend, though she did not seem to mind, luckily. A very forgiving person, she is.   
Mario waited until other people made their way into the room, watching as they gently placed an oxygen mask over Geno’s mouth. A nurse told the plumber that the doll was in safe hands, letting Mario leave. His footsteps clicked upon the tiled floors, echoing eerily in the empty halls. Each room’s door was open, and the curtains shrouding each bed held sickly people behind them, each making sickly wheezing sounds as he passed. Mario kept walking briskly, making certain to keep each breath he took even and calm. He never liked hospitals. They always scared him. However, with his nature, he mostly just felt bad for the people within. They were most likely having a horrible time.   
The man in red stepped out of the stark white building, gasping in a breath of warm, fresh air. Relief swept over his mind, taking a moment to relax.   
Mario yelled out, hands cupped to his face as his voice warbled. The odd holler was a way of communicating with his ride. Within a few moments, a large green lizard fluttered into view. Mario raised his hand, petting his old friend with a deep love once they had landed upon the ground in front of him.   
“How are you?” Mario asked warmly, eyes glinting in joy. Yoshi made a soft purr-like noise at the hero, tilting their head to rub against Mario’s velvet gloved hands.   
“Mind taking me to Peach’s castle, my dear Friend?” With a pat on the nose, Yoshi let out a shriek of excitement. Peach always had been notorious, spoiling the green lizard by giving them one too many fruits. Yet the plumber had to admit, the sight was cute, when Yoshi was curled up into a bundle of blankets, purring in contentment. Getting up onto his friend’s back, he held on for dear life as Yoshi ran haphazardly to make their way to the castle, jostling the rider into a daze.   
Once they arrived, Mario jumped off of his ride, head spinning as he regained balance to stumble in the main doors.  
“Thank y-you…” Mario’s words slurred together, walking in with his friend to meet up with Peach, who was in the throne room, searching through files for the second time.   
“Mario!” She called to him, raising a hand in greeting prior to her sprint over towards the hero.   
“Amore!” He greeted warmly, hugging the princess with care. Her perfume smelled of ripe, freshly picked peaches. With a pat on the back, he pulled away from the embrace.   
“I haven’t been able to find anything in my databases. This being… Isn’t a citizen of the Mushroom Kingdom. I called Bowser, who said he never had heard of them before… I don’t know what to say, it’s a mystery—“   
“Amore, please, relax. They woke up, and I’ve figured out who they are.” Mario clarified. Peach tilted her head.   
“Explain, please?”


	4. They Had Nodded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Geno needs help (again)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhhhh I’m sorry it took so long to get out! I’m working on Turf Wars (Genario Mafia AU) as well, so I’m low key stressed to write a lot... I will try to get the next one out sooner and not be as bad as this one. 
> 
> Thank you, my Starlights!

Geno felt a hazy veil rest over his weary head. A deep feeling of exhaustion tingled within the tips of his fingers. The feeling of sleep was pleasant, at first. He recognized a soul that was close by slowly inch away, and then felt its presence leave entirely, as something prodded over his mouth and nose. His lungs began to feel lighter, letting him breathe more easily. The Hospital’s thick air was replaced with a thin one, relief ebbing over his body. The feeling of tranquility remained consistent for a long while. But when the calm demeanor broke…. Geno began to panic. Half asleep, he thrashed about, the feeling of a needle penetrating his cold flesh terrifying him.   
“Ahh! G-Get someone to hold him down!” He heard one of them call. Geno blindly flailed around, getting up and out of the bed. The IV ripped out of his arm, and he breathed heavily in fear. After a shake of the head, sense came over himself. He saw what exactly was happening. The doll’s head whipped around wildly as he frantically looked for a way of escape. The oxygen mask was still strapped over his head, which Geno tore at desperately. Doctors tried to approach and calm him, yet to no avail. Geno wildly kicked anyone who approached him, the crowd of people cornering him holding strong as they approach. The doll felt a cold surface as he backed away. The window!  
“Doctor, do you have the sedatives?” Asked a nurse. The doctor nodded, inching closer.   
“Okay, little guy…. You’re safe. You’re fine. Just stay still and you’ll be happy before you know it.” The Doctor got too close for Geno’s comfort. The moment they went to jab him with the needle, he jerked his arm out of the way, needling digging into the oxygen mask, yet not his body. With a single movement, the feral being used all his energy to create a bright, glowing disc in his hand. Every froze when the sound of shattering glass broke the chatter, which then followed with a heavy rain of broken glass, which fell like razor sharp snow upon the crowd. Before they knew it, Geno was gone. He did not show any presence at all. He was running swiftly, trying to get away from that place. His body ached, yet he did not mind, only caring for the feeling beneath his feet. Cobblestone and tiled slate felt uncomfortable underneath his feet. The doll hurried to escape, his pace bounding with wild energy, raw from the forest.   
“There he is!” Called a person behind him. Panic held fast within his galloping heartbeat. Geno turned, running off down a dirt path, searching for a particular sound. The sound of his forest called out to him, beckoning a deep feeling of belonging. Despite the horrid conditions, he felt at home in the Forest Maze. It was territory he ruled over, and desired to return.   
So he ran.   
“Over there, officer!” Called a distant voice. Geno’s pace quickened at the sound, his escape becoming less and less plausible with each moment, as the people on his metaphorical tail chased him down. A dart-like object whizzed past him, missing by an inch. Up ahead held the forest he tried so hard to reach. Yet a feeling of pain sinking into his calf sent him flying forward, landing on the ground, skidding to a stop. The leg which had the pain wouldn’t move, causing Geno to cry out for help. Police officers surrounded him, the flashing lights of red and blue flickering in the doll’s fading vision.   
“Get away…” He cried, tears rolling down his cheeks. Somebody unfamiliar, with cold hands was picking him up. A doctor, no doubt, but Geno protested, trying his best to escape. His head felt so woozy, world spinning rather slowly around himself. He made a series of cooes and squeaks, then, a soft, mournful tune escaped Geno’s lips. He had no clue what was going on anymore, even as the world slipped from his grasp, plunging him into the deepest darkness that he had ever felt. 

The thin air was back. The cool atmosphere, and droning beeping emitting from a metal cube beside him was back. Geno attempted to sit up, clueless of his previous actions. Yet, he heard something like chains ring and they clamored from his albeit slight movement. The doll proceeded to groan, still exhausted both physically and mentally. The haziness which had clouded his mind when he lost consciousness just prior was still present, making him oddly docile. Hearing a familiar voice, his drowsy eyes dragged up to meet deep, caring, lustrously blue irises. The doll recognized this instantly, making a chirp of relief, someone beside the man in red giggling heartily. They were wearing a pink dress, a majestic blue gem resting in the middle of her chest. She held a mildly familiar posture, and that along with her gentle blonde hair, made Geno relax. A deep feeling washed over him, of what, he did not know. He simply understood it felt warm. Almost motherly.   
“Geno…” His name bubbled up from the murky noises which echoed around him as the world began to speed up to its normal pace.   
“Geno, wake up…” He recognized the voice to be Mario’s. The doll cooed with a smile, still rather woozy. That is, until he felt something weigh heavily around his wrists and ankles. Geno gasped, then tried desperately to sit up, but the chains which held him down knocked the spirit back into his bed, cold and hard as ever. Whimpering, his shoulders twitched from pain, and neck ached from the whiplash. Mario went to his side worriedly, checking over his newfound…. Friend.   
“Oh, Geno, please, don’t do that! You’ve already hurt yourself…” Mario frowned, a hand behind his back to beckon Peach closer.   
“Next time just relax, okay…. I didn’t want them to…” Mario hesitated.   
“To chain me?!” Geno shrieked in horror, tears running down his sunken cheeks. Mario had no way to respond to that. The being had run away from everyone to get back towards his forest, and then when the people brought him back, they chained him like an animal. The man in red felt guilty for what had happened. Before either of them could speak, Peach stepped in.   
“Listen. We don’t understand you yet, okay Geno?” Peach’s voice calmed the feral being with ease, his attention dialed into her with every fiber of his being.   
“The Kingdom has never encountered anyone like you before. We are trying our best to understand the help you need. Mario Cheri, who you’ve been taken in by, has noticed your odd behavior, and we both plan on helping you adjust to life in society. It will take much time, but you are already improving, as you aren’t as wild as you used to be.” Peach went over carefully, gently taking his limbs, and releasing each one from the shackles. Geno seemed to completely calm down upon his release.   
“We have noticed you hate being in confined areas…. So me and Mario have decided to let you stay with us, as we try and rehabilitate you to get along with everyone else.” Peach smiled at him.   
“Wait. You mean…. You want me to live with you both? You…. Want me around?” Geno spoke in disbelief. His eyes widened as they did a small action.   
They had nodded.


End file.
